Budget trip to Washington DC

[PattiPB]

I am getting into planning the details now for our 3 full days of touring Friday/Saturday/Sunday. Be aware Library of Congress and Capitol visitor's center are CLOSED on Sunday. Also, The Smithsonian's extended their hours for summer from 5 pm close to 7:30. Thank God!!!I booked Washington Monument tickets online for 9am Friday morning. Now I am having trouble deciding do we do the DCONFOOT walking tour More than Monuments to see the other monuments or wait and do a "monuments by moonlight" trolly tour during an evening? We are planning on taking the metro around but not sure if I should book a Trolly Tour for a day to see everything or just take metro? Anybody have any tips on tour vs. doing touring on your own? We decided not to spring for a tour. Anything x 5 brought us over budget. We walked a lot (1 metro ride and 1 cab ride), but it was worth it!!!

I think when we go to Arlington Cemetary the Tourmobile is the only tour available inside the parkWe did see Tourmobile constantly, so they obviously have a large fleet and your waittimes shouldn't be bad.

Any tips would be appreciated... thank you!

Hope that helps!

 

[PattiPB]

1. For the summer, the Smithsonian's extended their hours from a 5 pm close to 7:30. Huge help!! Don't know when it ends.

2. Line outside Air & Space before it opened. If your kids want to do the simulators, go there right away. My kids LOVED it.

3. Don't shy away from cab rides! The maximum fare within DC is $19. One day it started pouring on us, so we took a cab from Lincoln Memorial to our hotel (just over 2 miles). The fare was $8, plus $1.50 for each additional passenger. I thought that was reasonable for door to door service, although not as cheap as the Metro.

4. Things are CLOSED on Sundays! The Library of Congress (all buildings) and the Capitol Visoter's Center are closed.

5. As others have said, the Metro employees are GREAT. They are pleasant and happy to explain the system or which stop is most convenient.

6. Don't skip the archives---my kids LOVED seeing the documents.

7-150. CONTACT YOUR SENATOR/CONGRESSPERSON!!!!! Right now! Pick up your telephone! Seriously!

 

[DisneyDawnNH]

We loved Old Town Trolley. The tour was very informative and well worth the $$. The Monuments by Moonlight Tour was fabulous. We had done the daytime tour also.

Would you please let me know what time of year your visit took place? I very much wanted positive reviews of the Monuments by Moonlight tour or the Old Town Trolley service so I could justify using the service BUT... it seems they can be inconsistant and too full to pick up people at times.

 

[Connorsmom0]

We are going the last 5 days of August and decided to stay at the Residence Inn Marriott Capitol - 1 bedroom suite for $104.00 night with breakfast only 1.5 blocks to Federal Center SW metro stop. Thank you to everybody who posted advice and tips here as I have been taking many notes for months during planning.

I am getting into planning the details now for our 3 full days of touring Friday/Saturday/Sunday. I booked Washington Monument tickets online for 9am Friday morning. Now I am having trouble deciding do we do the DCONFOOT walking tour More than Monuments to see the other monuments or wait and do a "monuments by moonlight" trolly tour during an evening? We are planning on taking the metro around but not sure if I should book a Trolly Tour for a day to see everything or just take metro? Anybody have any tips on tour vs. doing touring on your own?

I think when we go to Arlington Cemetary the Tourmobile is the only tour available inside the park

Any tips would be appreciated... thank you!

We stayed here back in July and LOVED it. We will stay there again for sure. Stayed in the 1 br suite. Breakfast was very good and free the subway stop is SO close. We were there with small kids (6 and almost 3) so we did mostly museums, tidal pool paddle boats, zoo. I don't have much info about monuments and tours...etc..

 

[Echo queen]

7-150. CONTACT YOUR SENATOR/CONGRESSPERSON!!!!! Right now! Pick up your telephone! Seriously!

I read some ware that you should do this 6 months out. I am like 10 months out, should I do it now??? We really want to tour the White House.

Please advise.

 

[amamax2]

Booked Woodlands on their own site. Booked Capitol Hill Suites through AAA.

PattiPb-

Thank you so very much for all the information! I really appreciate you sharing all the knowledge you gleaned!

Michelle

 

[PattiPB]

I read some ware that you should do this 6 months out. I am like 10 months out, should I do it now??? We really want to tour the White House.

Please advise.

Today. Like, right now. It's better to be on their radar early, IMO.

My 15 yo daughter actually met Senator Reid at her school, and asked him directly. Within days, his NV and DC offices had called her. They would ONLY speak to her. Just our experience, but if you've got school-aged kids, let them do it. Our Senator's office really seemed to enjoy dealing with her.

 

[Echo queen]

Today. Like, right now. It's better to be on their radar early, IMO.

My 15 yo daughter actually met Senator Reid at her school, and asked him directly. Within days, his NV and DC offices had called her. They would ONLY speak to her. Just our experience, but if you've got school-aged kids, let them do it. Our Senator's office really seemed to enjoy dealing with her.

Thanks, I have a 14 and 10 year old boys. We were in Vegas last week for a week, boy was it HOT.. I checked my senators (K B Hutchison)site it did say 4 to 6 months but we will start now.

 

[mamalle]

OMG I read all 8 pages.. the info is just great!!! thanks so much. we are planning a trip the last week in March 2010. We are staying with my brother who is outside in Va. we can either ride in with him to work or take the metro. we will be going in the week starting on a monday. do you think 3 days or 4 days is enough? The museums are a must for my son and Arlington is a must for me since both of my grandparents are buried there. I figure the weather will be nice but alot of walking.

 

[mlraabe]

I have been trying to find a good deal on a hotel like the ones posted here with no luck. We are not AAA members. I booked the Hampton for $109 in Arlington which seems like a great price but I would rather have a suite with a seperate bedroom. Capitol Hill Suites prices seem much higher than what I am reading here. Suggestions?

 

[buckler]

I haven't read this whole thread but saw some people were discussing the timing for requesting a White House tour. Of course, earlier is better. But don't let a short lead time scare you off from trying to score tour spots. We did a tour 2 weeks ago. I submitted our request with only 1 month advance notice. They contacted us 1 week before the tour date to let us know we could go.

Read the rules on the White House website about what you can bring with you. You are ONLY allowed a cell phone, wallet and keys. That's it. They do not allow cameras, purses, backpacks, diaper bags, liquids of any sort, strollers etc. There are no lockers available near the White House to store your stuff. If you have any prohibited items someone in your group will have to remain outside with your items and miss the tour. We saw lots of people being turned away. If you have a baby I suggest putting two diapers on the baby so you will have a spare one. There were people in front of us on our tour and they had nothing with them to change the baby due to the no diaper bag rule. They were at least a 45 min. Metro ride from their hotel so they were going to have to look for a drug store to buy supplies after the tour was over.

 

[blondietink]

I am booked into the Clarion suites in Arlington for next weekend and got it for $89.99 per night when I made the ressie through the Comfort Inn website. It has 2 queen beds and a kitchen so we can save some money on food. They also have suites available with a separate bedroom and I think the cost for those was $109.00 per night.

We are planning on buying the subway pass good for all day ride as much as you want for $7.80 each. Leaving the car at the hotel ($12.00 per day parking fee) which we might be able to get waived. I hate trying to find a parking spot in Washington. Good luck!

 

[JenLanDisney]

I have been trying to find a good deal on a hotel like the ones posted here with no luck. We are not AAA members. I booked the Hampton for $109 in Arlington which seems like a great price but I would rather have a suite with a seperate bedroom. Capitol Hill Suites prices seem much higher than what I am reading here. Suggestions?

Are you visiting during the week or on a weekend? Weekend prices are substantially lower in the DC area.

You may also try www.1800hotels.com or TravelZoo for good deals.
http://hotels.travelzoo.com/washington-dc-hotels/

 

[PattiPB]

Thanks, I have a 14 and 10 year old boys. We were in Vegas last week for a week, boy was it HOT.. I checked my senators (K B Hutchison)site it did say 4 to 6 months but we will start now.

We spend the summer in Florida, and that humidity is just painful for us!! Came back to Vegas heat, but at least I had better hair than I did back east!! LOL!!!

 

[PattiPB]

we will be going in the week starting on a monday. do you think 3 days or 4 days is enough? The museums are a must for my son and Arlington is a must for me since both of my grandparents are buried there. I figure the weather will be nice but alot of walking.

No such thing as enough time! We put the museums in preference order, and just hit as many as we could without rushing through. Holocaust was very high for all three kids---we ordered tix in advance and I'm glad we did. Walk-ins had a 3 hour wait.

With the Metro pass you'll eliminate some of the walking. You should have much better weather than the heat we hiked through. Maybe the cherry blossoms will bloom early for you!

 

[cpparrothead]

Just got back Wednesday from our DC / Jimmy Buffett concert road trip. We stayed at Fairfield Inn in Chantilly Va for $55/night. The hotel is very near the flight path of Dulles airport, but we were never bothered by the sound once inside the room. We were about 10 min away from the Vienna/Fairfax metro stop on the orange line. We will definitely stay there again.

We did take the Memorials by Moonlight tour and enjoyed it very much. However the seats were uncomfortable for 2 pooh sized people. The seats on the trolley car are basically park benches, with iron sides that made it tough to squeeze in. One nice thing about the night tour compared to the daylight tours, is that on the Moonlight tour you stay on the same trolley for the whole tour. When you stop on the monuments, the driver gives you the trolley number and tells you what time he will be back to pick you up. You also keep your same seat for the entire tour, to make it easy to account every one is back.

 

[disneymom2one]

This thread is really perfect for us. We're strongly considering skipping our annual WDW Christmas trip and going to DC and then maybe Williamsburg.

I have a few questions and would appreciate any help.

1) How is DC at Christmas? We would arrive on about the 19th of December.

2) We're thinking about ending the DC portion about the 23rd and heading somewhere (either driving if we take the autotrain or taking Amtrak). I'm having the toughest time with the "somewhere" portion. Our daughter is 14. I've looked into everything - Williamsburg, Hershey, NYC, Poconos. I'd like something sort of with a Christmas feel and a little relaxing after the DC push. Some sort of resort? Any ideas?

 

[blondietink]

Williamsburg is usually all decorated for Christmas and they have special events. However, my teenagers found it "boring" except they liked the old buildings. NYC is always very festive at Christmas. If you are looking for snow, you would probably have to go a lot further north to either Vermont/New Hampshire/Northern New York. Good luck!

 

[disneymom2one]

Williamsburg is usually all decorated for Christmas and they have special events. However, my teenagers found it "boring" except they liked the old buildings. NYC is always very festive at Christmas. If you are looking for snow, you would probably have to go a lot further north to either Vermont/New Hampshire/Northern New York. Good luck!

I worry when I read things like this. It's the same point of view I see on another prominent travel website. It's so, so subjective because I also read from families with teens who loved the place and couldn't wait to go back. Our daughter rarely gets bored (and we don't really use that word in our house) but I want her to have a great time.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[NotUrsula]

I have been trying to find a good deal on a hotel like the ones posted here with no luck. We are not AAA members. I booked the Hampton for $109 in Arlington which seems like a great price but I would rather have a suite with a seperate bedroom. Capitol Hill Suites prices seem much higher than what I am reading here. Suggestions?

If you are speaking of the one in Crystal City, that Hampton DOES have suites with a separate bedroom, though I'm not sure if that's the category that you booked. It is about a seven-block walk to the Metro.